A Quest Reborn
by AngelicPikachu
Summary: The Journey of a Young Pre Teen Miqo'te Luna Celestia on journey through land of Eorzea to keep a promise made to her departed sister..Friends will be made and broken...first love and more; the story of a sibling lost by traitor will be learned. Adventure, Humor, Fantasy PG-PG13
1. Chapter 0 Prologue

Authors: Raylah and Napalm  
(AngelicPikachu and Friend)

Chapter 0: Prologue

Time: Mid-Noon

Location: Aldenard Continent, en route to Gridania

"You may think I'm just an average Miqo'te... But let me tell you something, I've been through a lot. The pain and suffering I have witnessed has been something horrible." Spoke a young female voice, sitting in the back of a carriage being pulled by two Chocobo with a middle-aged Elezen at the reins, bound for the Black Shroud which would lead to Gridania. The Miqo'te child was between the age of 12-13, wearing a yellow vest with brown leggings and garments, bearing fiery red hair, tail, and ears for her age, and sharp green eyes that stared through tears at the serene sky and puffy clouds above. She appeared exhausted, scratched up, and hungry, but filled with determination. She had saved up every coin she could to begin a new life, one of special purpose and importance.

Her name is Luna, younger sister of a proud warrior named Lunara whom she had always fondly admired. However, before her very eyes she had witnessed her beloved elder sisters' betrayal in battle by a sworn comrade, and could still hear the death wail in her mind as her sister held the traitor at bay with what life she could muster long enough for Luna to make herself hidden. After the traitor had destroyed what she could in search of the younger sister, eventually leaving after finding it fruitless, Luna had emerged from her place of hiding to make her way to her sister, who lay barely conscious and drenched in the rain that washed her blood into the soil below. As the younger dropped to her knees beside her, Lunara gave her a soft smile realizing she was safe, and passed after spending what life remained in her to instill the words Luna swore she would never forget.

"My sweet Luna, do not weep. Though it is too late for me, I have naught but one sorrow, that I will not be here to witness you grow into a strong woman. Even now, after all that I have suffered, I have not lost sight of hope for the future of our world. Always remember, do not allow your grief or sorrow to become hatred, do not allow the idea of vengeance to consume you. Avenge me if you must, but do not do so with darkness in your heart. The strength within you is great, but alone there is little you can accomplish. Become stronger, retain your kind heart, and carry on in my stead. Make allies that you can believe in and rely upon, and who can treat and rely upon you in turn. And know that I will always love you sister, may Azeyma shine her favor upon you."

"Yes, sister..." Luna thought, wiping the tears from her eyes as the Black Shroud came into view over the horizon. "I will do as you have said. I will become stronger, I won't let you down. You protected me, you saved me, your death will not be in vain."

Within minutes, the carriage passed into the Black Shroud, every inch closer to Gridiana bringing with it more possibilities.


	2. Chapter 1-The Dark Road to Light

Within the Black Shroud, the carriage continued onward to Gridania. With their destination still some distance ahead, the driver stopped for the time being to allow his Chocobos to rest, feed, and drink. "Young miss, we'll soon depart, before then you can get yourself cleaned up if you'd like." He spoke, walking to the back of the carriage, only to find that Luna had fallen asleep from the weariness of her travel thus far. "Poor lass, what in the world could have happened to cause one so young such pain?"

Taking a blanket from the chest by his seat, the Elezen returned to drape it gently over his passenger, feeling sorry that he could do nothing more for her, and hoping that she would have family waiting for her upon reaching Gridania. As he returned to his Chocobo and laid down more Greens for them to eat, he turned his attention to the sound of footsteps approaching, a tall Hyur man stepping forward with hands up to reveal no threat. Standing about 5'9", appearing to be in his mid-20's with short brown hair, with worn blue leggings and blue shirt and a side bag slumped over his shoulder, the Hyur appeared relatively harmless at first glance.

"My apologies if I startled you or your Chocobo, good sir…" He spoke with a soft tone. "Is this carriage by any chance bound for Gridania?" The Elezen driver looked him over, nodding slowly. "It is indeed lad, you in need of a lift?" "Yes sir, if there's room enough for me." The Hyur replied, the Elezen motioning with a nod of approval to board as he turned back to his Chocobo. "Just take care not to make too much noise, that's all." The Hyur pondered these words for a moment, but nodded silently and made his way to the back, where he noticed the sleeping Miqo'te child, as well as her current state. "My goodness, what did you do to this poor child?"

The Elezen threw down another Green, then turned back and shook his head with a solemn gaze. "Not my doing, I picked her up like that. Poor thing looked terrible… Exhausted, hungry, injured. Not sure what happened to her, I can only hope that when we reach Gridiana she has some family waiting for her, kid her age shouldn't be alone in that kind of condition." The Hyur examined her condition, stroking his chin slowly. "You ask me, it looks like she was running from something, or someone. No telling, in this world anything could happen, for good or ill." With that, he silently hopped into the back, bringing his bag up after and setting it on the floor between his feet. Shortly after, the driver harnessed his Chocobo duo, returning to his seat to crack the reins and resume the course.

"I hope you'll not think ill of me…" The Elezen spoke, eyes kept to the road. "If I inquire what brings you out this way." The Hyur, seated in a slumped position, simply smirked with a light chuckle at this. "Not at all. For a peddler like me, getting lost along the road is a travesty, I'm quite fortunate to have found you." "Peddler, eh? Planning to set up shop in Gridiana, then?" "You could say that, yes. It's all about new opportunities, after all." The Elezen gave a smirk of his own to that response, nodding slowly. "This seems to be the premier travel season for people seeking new opportunities, or I've encountered a wild coincidence, because the little one there gave that as her reason for the trip." "You don't say…" Came the response, the Hyur smiling softly to the slumbering youth across from him. "Here's hoping we both find our better fortunes then."

At that moment, the carriage came to a sudden halt, jolting both passengers and the driver, the Chocobo pair loudly screeching at the sight of a pair of large Wild Boar. "That's odd…" The Hyur spoke, standing to view this encounter. "Those are creatures typically found in the East Shroud, what are they doing out here?" "No idea, but they don't look as if they're going to let us pass." Replied the driver, attempting to regain control of his Chocobo. Luna, having been startled awake by the commotion, was surprised to see the Hyur, but more frightened by the sounds of the Boars. The Hyur, noticing this, knelt down to her and placed his hand upon her head with a comforting smile, before hopping out of the carriage with bag in hand.

"Hold on lad, what are you planning to do?" Asked the driver, finally managing to calm his Chocobo and back them up from their foes. "Isn't it obvious?" The Hyur answered, unfurling his bag to reveal a pristine oaken bow and small quiver of dark ivory arrows, to the amazement of Luna and their driver. "If they won't allow us to pass, I'll simply make them allow us." Upon speaking these words, he drew forth two arrows and fit them to the string, squinting as he tilted the bow to the side and pulled back in preparation. With terrifying outcries, the pair of Boars scratched their hooves to the ground, before charging forth to attack. Standing still in the face of this, the Hyur steadied his arm with soft breathing, his open eye narrowing as he found the opportunity to release the arrows into the foreheads of the pair of problematic porcine, felling both.

Wandering over to reclaim his arrows and retrieve his prizes, the Hyur knelt to give the shafts hardy tugs against the thick hide, Luna and their driver walking over to observe. "That was rather impressive, for a common peddler." Spoke the Elezen, prompting another chuckle from the Hyur as he freed the first arrow. "My father was a traveling merchant, and my mother was known for her skill as an Archer which she honed serving as security for my father, his cargo, and I. You could say I learned from the masters to inherit the best of both worlds." "I see. Common courtesy dictates I at least thank the one who helps me by name. You may call me Faro, you have my thanks." "My name is Luna… Thank you sir…" Spoke the Miqo'te child next, rather shyly, watching as the second arrow was freed, cleaned, and returned to the quiver, the Hyur rising and giving a courteous bow. "Some call me Johnny, it's been my pleasure to help. If it's alright, I'd like to bring these along, there should be more than enough room and their hides should fetch a fair price once we reach town." With the permission and assistance of Faro, the pair of Boars were loaded up, Johnny helping Luna up next, and with another crack of the reins the carriage resumed the remaining journey to Gridania.


	3. Chapter 2-Trouble in Gridania! Enter Arc

Chapter 2: Trouble in Gridania! Enter Arc the Bard!

The remainder of the journey proceeded smoothly, and after a time the cart came to a halt before the gates to Gridania. Wheeling into the heart of the city, the pair of Chocobo came to a rest as Faro climbed down from his seat and made his way to the back. "Here we are lad n' lass, Gridania. Mind your step now, easy does it." Stepping back as Johnny hopped nimbly from the cart, he assisted Luna down as well, before inspecting the condition of the cart. Luna, giving Johnny and Faro each a courteous bow, pet the beaks of each Chocobo with a soft smile, folding the blanket she had been covered with and returning it to the older Elezen. "Thank you all so very much, I could not have made it this far without you." "Not a worry at all, young miss. No need to return that, I've got plenty more to spare, you can keep it just in case."

Kneeling to her, Faro placed his right hand upon her head, giving a warm smile as he pulled from his pocket a small bag of Gil. "It's not terribly much, but it'll get you room and food at the inn for some time." Luna looked to the pouch with surprise, but lowered and shook her head. "I can't… That money is yours, I can't accept it…" "Take it, it's no bother to me, you need it much more than I. I can easily make it back, this town's bound to be filled with travelers in need." Placing the pouch in Luna's hand, Faro was surprised when another was placed atop it, coming from Johnny. "With the pair of Boar I can make back this and more as well, this in addition should buy you fresh clothes and anything else you may need." Faro stood, nodding his approval to Johnny before climbing atop his seat, grasping the reins once more. "Be well, both of you! I'm certain we'll meet again one day, until then the best of fortunes to you both!" Cracking the reins, the carriage was off, bound for where it would be needed.

Not far from this, the actions were observed by a pair of rough beings. One, a diminutive Lalafell male, tossed a pebble between his palms as he sat upon a wooden crate. At average height for one of his kind, he had blue eyes poking through long brown hair, dressed in a white tank top with brown pants and leather sandals. Leaning against a wall beside him stood a much taller Au Ra, dressed in similar garb save for white leggings, his scaled white tail swishing and his white horns giving off a faint glint of sunlight, his own blue eyes focused on the two Gil bags clutched by the young Miqo'te. The pair looked to one another, giving nods of affirmation, before the Lalafell jumped down and the two wandered into the shadows of the alley.

Johnny, finally affixing the two Boars to a stake and straps, hefted the weight as well as his travel bag over his shoulders, eyes darting about for a good place to set up shop. "Where will you go from here, Mr. Johnny?" Inquired Luna, Johnny looking down at her with a smirk. "Like my parents, I too have never really known a true home. This world is my home, and so I go wherever there are fortunes to be had. I'll stay here for some time, and in a month or two if the Gil piles up I intend to head to Ul'dah and stake my claim there." "I see… Will I ever see you again?" "Count on it kiddo. If not here, then surely somewhere out there in the wide world. See you around Luna, take care and be well." With those words, Johnny made his way through the light crowds, which stepped aside from the load he carried as he began to sing a song which faded into the distance with him. "Flowers that to dreams say good-bye will wither and the dreams will die. If I die, like a man I'll die, to be loyal I'd even let love pass by. I'm a drifter… The man from Eorzea."

Luna, waving farewell to her new acquaintance, clutched the folded blanket now filled with the Gil pouches and her belongings in her arms, turning to leave for the inn but finding herself blocked by the Lalafell that had observed her before. "Give us all of your Gil and any valuables you carry, and we may consider letting you walk away intact." He spoke in a harsh tone, as he clutched an iron dagger in his left hand. Luna backed away slowly, startled as she backed against a sturdy presence, looking up to see the taller Au Ra associate of the Lalafell looking down to her with folded arms and a chilling glare. Before she could muster a cry for help, the Au Ra reached down to hold his hand over Luna's mouth, the Lalafell delivering a swift punch to her chest to take the fight out of her. With another punch to knock the girl unconscious, the Lalafell wiped his hand off on his shirt while his accomplice tossed her to the ground, the pair unfurling the blanket to view and claim the contents within. Cackling amongst themselves as they poured out the contents of each Gil pouch to count each coin, they were too busy to notice that a shadow loomed tall over them, a figure reaching to his back and startling the pair by unstrapping a longbow and swiping it to strike across the face of each. As the duo of miscreants held their cheeks and stared at their assailant, the color drained from their face when the bow clacked against the ground, held by a male Miqo'te Bard the pair knew by reputation.

"Dewell and Luxor, I might have known." Spoke the Bard, in quite a commanding tone that had the named pair pushing away on the ground. "Your antics have been quite the nuisance of late, but to take it this far is reprehensible." Taking several slow steps forward, exuding an intimidating aura with each step that had the duo sliding away faster, the Bard knelt to return the Gil to their pouches and the remaining belongings into the midst of the blanket, folding it with care before walking to kneel beside the unconscious girl to feel her pulse. "You two are fortunate that her condition is not direr, were that so I would be required to take actions that would be quite… Severe." These words, combined with the hawkish stare the Bard gave to Dewell and Luxor, left terror imprinted on their faces as they scrambled to their feet and fled as quickly as they could. Hefting the blanket and child in his arms, the Bard took her to the inn and placed a pouch of his own on the desk. "Who's the kid Arc? Friend of yours?" The Innkeeper asked, Arc looking to her with a sorrowed stare. "Afraid not, she's an unfortunate victim of circumstance it would seem. I need a room, and any food and water you can prepare. I'll tend to her injuries as best I can in the meantime." Nodding, the Innkeeper stowed the pouch and opened the door to a vacant room to let Arc through, Arc gently placing Luna upon the bed as the Innkeeper brought in a bowl of cool water and some small towels.

"Think she'll pull through?" The Innkeeper asked, setting down the bowl as Arc dipped a towel into the water to wipe off Luna's face. "I think so. I can't imagine what other traumas she's suffered to this point, but I'll see to it she suffers no more for the time being. It's strange, she reminds me of a friend who disappeared recently…"


	4. Chapter 3-Arc's Suspicion! The New Path!

Chapter 3: Arc's Suspicion! A New Path Emerges!

As the night drew on, Luna slumbered within the room of the inn, the first truly peaceful night's sleep she'd had since her escape. Outside, leaning back in a chair against the wall, Arc kept watch as he pondered why the young Miqo'te reminded him of his missing friend. It wasn't long, however, before his concentration was broken by a sizeable elbow coming to rest atop his head, Arc reacting to this with a narrow glare and disapproving growl. "Hey buddy, here you are." Spoke the voice of the offending figure in a nonchalant tone, Arc glancing up at his grinning armored Au Ra friend. "When you didn't return to the Free Company last night, everyone got worried sick. When I checked around, the Innkeeper told me I'd find you here. So what's up?" Arc, in response, lifted the arm off of his head and rose to his feet, placing a finger to his lips to indicate silence and gently returning the chair to all legs, before opening the door to the room and motioning his friend inside.

Once in, the Au Ra spotted Luna resting comfortably on the bed, looking to Arc with an inquisitive glance that did not go unnoticed by the latter. "I found her being robbed by two individuals whose names I shouldn't have to mention, I brought her here to rest up after they took off with empty pockets and bruised faces. But that's not the strangest of it Cuffs, come take a look at her for a moment." Cuffs, shrugging his shoulders at this, wandered over to glance at the girl, before looking to Arc once more. "So, am I supposed to notice anything in particular?" "Yes, look at her face, does she remind you of anyone?" "Well, when you put it that way, she does bear a heavy resemblance to Lunara… I'm sure it's just a coincidence though." Still curious however, Cuffs leaned forward to try and get a better look at Luna's face, at that moment the sleeping girl woke groggily. Upon seeing the face of Cuffs come into focus staring over her, Luna's eyes flew wide with terror as she recalled her Au Ra assailant from before, letting out a scream that was met by a scream from Cuffs in turn, Arc slapping his palm into his face and slowly dragging it down to his chin with a long sigh. Luna quickly leapt from under the sheets, throwing them over Cuffs in such a way that he fell back while trying to get them off, and sprinted past Arc to escape the room as quickly as she possibly could.

Within seconds, Cuffs flung the sheets from his face, standing with a hand up from Arc and brushing off his breastplate. "Well, that happened. What got into her?" "She probably mistook you for Luxor, I doubt she's ever met an Au Ra before either of you. She's still injured, and those two hoodlums are still on the loose, we need to find her before they catch sight of her again. We'll split up and search, let's meet back here in half an hour." The duo nodded to one another, parting ways to cover the streets as best they could. Fortunately, it didn't take very long for Arc to find the child huddled up behind some barrels situated beside where she had originally been dropped off. She flinched for a moment when Arc reached down to her, but upon realizing he meant her no harm she reached up to take it. At that moment, Arc was sent tumbling through one of the barrels by a heavy blow from behind, hitting the ground hard atop a small pile of wooden debris in front of a frightened Luna, whose scream cut through the night silence.

Standing above Arc was the Au Ra Luxor, arm lowering from the surprise punch he had delivered, and as he straightened his stance the more diminutive Dewell walked out from behind his associate, dagger in hand. "Well, there are golden opportunities, and then there are golden opportunities." The Lalafell quipped with a wry smirk, eyeing Luna with a look of vengeful spite. "You've got nothing to steal this time, but that's fine. We can make do with a bit of revenge for earlier, right Luxor?" Luxor nodded in affirmation, the pair chuckling as they approached the child who tried to back away despite being between the barrels and wall. As Dewell raised the dagger to stab it forward, he was interrupted mid-step upon hearing Luxor groan painfully as his face met with the wall above Luna. Dewell turned in time to take a low punch to the gut to knock him flat on his back, before the hand that delivered it lifted him from the ground, the hand holding Luxor against the wall dragging him back, the faces of the two crooks being brought together with a thud that knocked both into unconscious slumps.

Arc slowly rose from the pile with a pained grunt, shaking his head and turning to find that their savior was Cuffs, who dropped the pair of assailants and gave a thumb's up to Luna and Arc. "Thanks bro, I owe you one." "Not a worry, I'm just glad I was close when I heard the scream. You going to be alright?" "Yeah, I'll live. How about you, little one?" Arc inquired of Luna, who simply responded by nodding her head. As Arc stood to his feet and brushed himself off, neither he nor Cuffs were aware that Luxor had regained consciousness and was now prepared to strike Cuffs with a furious punch. But before he could, he was surprised by Luna lunging to kick her heel into his knee at enough of an angle to dislocate it, which alerted Cuffs and gave him the opportunity to drive his fist into Luxor's chin to knock him back down. Arc knelt beside Luna, placing his hand on her head and checking to see if she was alright, stopping when he noticed something he hadn't before. "Cuffs, what was that you were saying before about coincidence?"

Returning to the room at the Inn, Arc and Cuffs formally introduced themselves to Luna, who returned the courtesy, before Arc held up a small feather he had found tangled in her hair. "This feather comes from a particular Chocobo, one which belonged to a comrade of our Company who disappeared some time ago. I recognize the distinct pattern, there's no doubt this is one of Chocola's feathers." Saying this caused Cuffs to gaze in surprise between Luna and the feather, Arc nodding slowly. "You said your name was Luna… And you had a feather from Chocola on your person. I think I'm starting to understand why Lunara was always so dismissive about her personal life." The mention of Lunara's name caused Luna to gasp, Arc looking to Cuffs and handing him the feather before kneeling in front of Luna and placing his hands upon her shoulders. "If I had to guess, I'd say you're her little sister. That kick, you learned it from her didn't you? If that's true, then for you to be here and so injured while she remains missing… I'm sorry Luna." As tears welled in her eyes, Luna hugged the elder Miqo'te tightly, Arc returning the hug as Cuffs lowered his head and placed his right fist to his chest. "Cuffs, we'll rest here for the remainder of the night, come tomorrow we'll take her with us to the Free Company, we'll figure something out from there."

Cuffs gave a nod, both he and Arc wishing Luna good rest as they each fell asleep in the nearby chairs, drifting away with the remainder of the night.


	5. Chapter 4-The Road to Tomorrow

Chapter 4: The Road To Tomorrow!

Sunrise washed over the horizon, giving rise to all who slumbered. Within the room of the inn, Luna's eyes slowly opened, the young Miqo'te groggily adjusting her focus to the rest of the room as she sat upright. Feeling rested for the first time in days, she glanced over at Arc and Cuffs who each still slept in adjacent chairs. Stretching her arms with a soft yawn, she reflected on the events of the previous night, plucking the feather from the nightstand as she remembered what Arc had said. The more she stared at the feather, the more she began to wonder about her pair of saviors, before something else Lunara had told her before she fled returned to her mind.

"Seek out the Crimson Crows, my sister. They will protect you, and help you as they helped me. Trust in their guidance, they will know what to do."

"Those two… Could they be the Crimson Crows Lunara told me to find? They knew my sister, they knew Chocola too… They must be!" Smiling softly with a renewed sense of hope, she slid out of bed, cleaning herself as best she could despite her injuries. Finding that the Innkeeper had been kind enough to clean her spare attire that had been among her belongings, she redressed and left the room to give her thanks. Finding the Innkeeper tending to a guest in the shop, she waited until the guest left to get the Innkeeper's attention. "Oh, good morning little one. You look to be in better shape and spirits, how are you feeling?" "Much better, thank you ma'am." "No need to be so formal child, you can call me Miounne. Welcome to the Carline Canopy, since I didn't have the chance to greet you yesterday. You're quite welcome."

Luna bowed out of courtesy, giving the older Elezen an appreciative smile. "My name is Luna, I'm pleased to meet you!" Miounne smiled at this, before noticing that Luna carried her ragged attire from the previous night in her arms. "Oh dear, it's fortunate that you had a spare outfit, but those are simply ruined. Fortunately, I'm going to the marketplace to buy vegetables and other supplies to restock, I'd like you to come with me as my guest to pick out some extra clothing." Luna's ears twitched eagerly upon hearing this, but she quickly shook her head. "Thank you for the offer, but I couldn't… I do have Gil of my own, but it's not enough to afford new clothes. I want to save it to thank you and the two who rescued me for your kindness." "Well, if you'd like I can have you prepare a breakfast meal for us. I'll call that a fair trade for helping you find more to wear. How does that sound?"

Luna gave an excited nod, accompanying Miounne to the marketplace and observing with awe the large selection of goods and wares. One shopkeeper they approached leaned over upon spotting Luna, looking her up and down and snapping his fingers. "Ah, you must be the kid that sprat Johnny told me about. Good fortunes abound, he's already left for Ul'dah after selling those prize-sized pigs for a hefty sum. He told me to keep an eye out for you, and if I spotted you he wanted me to give you this, said you could thank him if ever you bumped into him." With that, the shopkeeper pulled a silver necklace out from the box in front of him, bearing charms of a sapphire shaped in the form of a raindrop and a topaz shaped in the form of a sand spiral. Handing the necklace to Luna, the shopkeeper nodded with a smile. "He says it's an old heirloom he received, and that it should bring you hope even in bleak times as it did for him." Luna gently took the gift, smiling with a nod and sliding it over her neck, adjusting her hair around it. With Miounne paying for a new outfit, at last the pair returned to the Canopy, finding Arc and Cuffs already awake and relieved to see that Luna was alright.

"How are you feeling, little one?" Cuffs inquired, Luna smiling and nodding in response, Arc helping Miounne with her load. After preparing the four of them a simple breakfast meal, Luna sat to eat with them, almost inhaling the food as it had been some time since she'd eaten a proper meal. Arc, watching this, looked to Cuffs, the pair nodding to one another before Arc turned back to Luna. "We're needed at our Free Company in Ul'dah, we're thinking of bringing you with us if you'd be up to it. Lunara had never told any of us about you, but I'm sure she told you that you could trust us to help. As well, the journey might be a good opportunity for us to find out exactly what happened." Luna's ears drooped slightly, but remembering the words of her sister, she agreed to this. Soon packing her belongings and being helped onto Arc's Chocobo to ride in front of him with Cuffs taking point on his own, the trio waved goodbye to Miounne before darting off through the streets and quickly entering the lush woods of the Shroud, bound for their new destination.

Recounting her tale to Arc as they rode further along, Luna told of the betrayal and the final words of her sister, Arc and Cuffs each furrowing their brows with every detail. Holding her and the reins steadily when she drifted into a nap upon completing her story, Arc rode alongside Cuffs, giving his friend a worried glance. "If this is true, then she has more to worry about than she may know. We'll need to keep mum about this around the others, this type of information is dangerous. If anyone asks, we've learned nothing in our search for Lunara, and we scouted Luna for her talent, right?" "Right. What should we do if they find out?" "Not sure, we'll just have to figure something out when we reach that point. One thing's for certain though… We're going to have to be very cautious moving forward. If she were still here, Lunara would have our heads if we let anything happen to her." "You're right bro. And personally, I like my head where it is."

Their mounts thundering ahead now with greater speed, the return journey to Ul'dah suddenly gained in urgency and purpose for all three.


	6. Chapter 5-Declined! Force Your Way!

Chapter 5: Declined! Force Your Way!

The journey was long, but within the span of three days they had crossed into the western expanse of Thanalan. Having switched places, Luna now rode with Cuffs as Arc rode alongside, keeping track of the route as they advanced. Still a distance from Ul'dah, their Chocobo stormed ahead with the vigor of a homeward journey. "Have you ever visited Ul'dah, Luna?" Cuffs inquired, Luna looking up to him and giving a small nod. "Once, I came here with Lunara… It was a few years ago, and only for a short time." "Well, we'll be sure to give you a proper tour. Not much has changed over the past few years, but the old town's still a sight to behold."

Arriving at their imposing destination after another twenty minutes, the two steered themselves and their passenger through the streets to the homes in The Goblet. "We made it Volt, home at last." Cuffs spoke with a grin as they dismounted, Cuffs helping Luna down before he and Arc led their Chocobo to the stables. "I've been away too long Vayu, we made good time too… The Sun's starting to set, we should head inside and report to the others." Luna tilted her head, curiously wondering, before poking Cuffs' leg. "Volt? Vayu? What does that mean?" "Oh, those are just our nicknames for one another. Given enough time, you might get to use them yourself, we might even give you one. What do you think bro? Her fiery hair and her kick are worth something." Glancing back, Arc noticed the necklace Luna wore, nodding slowly. "I'd say Sapphire. A deceptive gem, which hides a great splendor behind an innocent sheen." "Waxing poetic there, Volt?" Cuffs responded, the duo laughing as they tied their Chocobo and led Luna to the Company house. Draped over the doorway, adjacent to the emblem of Ul'dah, was the crest of the Crimson Crows on proud display.

As the door opened and the trio entered into the main foyer, they were greeted by a Lalafell male dressed in the proper attire of a Scholar. Preparing to greet them on their return, the Lalafell stopped upon seeing Luna accompanying them, looking up to his two associates with an inquisitive stare. "Arc is sent to gather information, and Cuffs is sent to retrieve him after he missed his cue to return. And now I see you both return with a child, and I can only wonder the reason." "Sorry about that Leru…" Arc responded, he and Cuffs subtly exchanging glances to remind themselves that Luna's true identity needed to remain unspoken for the time being. "We were held up by unexpected circumstances, during which we encountered her. She impressed us with her fighting ability, so we decided to bring her along as a potential recruit." "A recruit? Are you out of your mind? She's obviously too young, and I can't see where you would find potential in her, she looks much too timid, like she could curl in a corner at the first sign of danger…" This response was met by a bop to the head and a light snort from Cuffs, Leru clutching his head with wide eyes at this action. "Be nice to our guest, Leru. And isn't it you who always says to never judge a book by its cover? At least offer her a chance to…"

Before Cuffs could complete his sentence, Leru's hat was removed swiftly by a thrown knife that had laid nearby, the tip connecting precisely with the center knot of the dangling tassel to carry it into the wall behind, hanging low after the impact once the blade impaled itself into the wooden surface. All three Crimson Crows looked between the hat, knife, and Luna with comically shocked expressions, Luna giving a beaming smile that mixed innocence and smugness. Removing the knife from the wall and straightening his hat as he re-applied it, Leru continued to stare dumbfounded at the Miqo'te child, before shaking his head to snap from his daze. "Alright, I concede that she has an impressive eye and a good throwing arm. However, the fact remains that she is still much too young to join our ranks, we cannot accept her. You both know the others would agree, perhaps in a few years if she remains diligent we can reconsider. Until that time, I'm sorry to say there will be no recruitment, it goes against too many regulations!"

Her ears drooping at these words, Luna lowered her head solemnly, tears slowly welling in her eyes. This earned another bop to the head from Cuffs, Leru's eyes swirling before he regained his composure. Arc, sighing through all of this, knelt down beside Luna with a hand on her shoulder while facing Leru. "Then what say we make her an apprentice of the Company? She'll stay with me, and help with what chores are needed. Cuffs and I can look out for her, we'll accept full responsibility for her care. This way, we can gauge for ourselves if she'll be worthy to join our ranks when the time comes. Besides, we've never been known to do anything by the books." "You're certainly right about that one…" Leru spoke with a nod, leaning forward in time to avoid another bop to the head, straightening his stance and giving his own sigh. "I doubt the others would object to this, I won't either. We've been so bogged down that the Company House has been in slight disarray. As long as you two accept full responsibility, then she can be granted that much. But bear this in mind: She is not a Crimson Crow. If she can prove her worth, then perhaps someday, until then she is as much a part of our ranks as a hat is a part of the body. The others will be returning soon, we'll see what they say on this matter. For now, you have permission as a guest of the Crimson Crows to relax here from your travels."

Leru turned to leave, resuming his rounds. Cuffs gave Luna a gentle reassuring pat to the head, turning to Arc as he stood. "You sure about this, Volt? I've got no problem with helping out wherever and however I can, but even for our lot this is a bit much." "It's like I said, Lunara would severely disagree if we didn't do absolutely everything in our power to help her sister. I think this will work out just fine." "I've heard that line before, here's hoping it's a hit rather than a miss." "Right. And remember, we three are the only ones who know the story, we still need to keep things that way until we can learn more and be certain the knowledge will not be misused. One thing's for certain, we'll need to put on a good show for the others if we're going to convince them to at least let Luna stick close this way." "If nothing else, we can probably impress them with a snazzy dance number to put the professionals to shame." That caused Luna to snort and giggle, her two guardians laughing as well, as the night drew on across the vast desert expanse.

Soon, the others returned, and the meeting was convened to discuss Luna's future. As the subject was discussed in full privacy, she waited anxiously in her seat for what she hoped was good news. Minutes passed slowly, and within a half-hour Arc exited the room to find and kneel before Luna. "We still have much to discuss, but for now it seems they will approve your stay. But, they don't intend to make it easy, they're going to test your every limit. Fortunately, they don't know that Cuffs and I will be helping you pass their every test with flying colors, I know you'll do it. When you're not working, you'll stay with me, I'll introduce you to my wife, I think you two will get along just fine. So, what do you say, do you want to give it a shot?" Luna nodded eagerly, Arc patting her shoulder with a smile and standing, returning to give the others this news. Once the meeting concluded some time later, Arc and Cuffs left first to find Luna asleep in her seat. Gently scooping her up, Arc gave Cuffs a two-finger salute farewell for the time being, leaving the Company Hall to make his way home.


	7. Chapter 6-Too Young! The Path

Chapter 6: Too Young! The Path Ahead!

Arc's home, not far from the Company Hall, was quaintly nestled in a rather quiet area of The Goblet. Bringing his Chocobo to a halt in front of the cozy cottage, Arc hopped down nimbly, helping Luna down and petting his Chocobo on its beak. "Well kiddo, we've arrived. Leera should already be here, come on in and I'll introduce you to her." "Introduce me, you say?" Came the serene yet wry tone of Arc's wife, the Miqo'te Leera, as she stood in the doorway to greet her husband. Giving Leera a kiss, Arc turned to usher Luna over to meet her. "Dear, this is Luna. She's the younger sister of a friend, and she's in a bit of a dire strait. Cuffs and I brought her to try and get her recruited as a respect, unfortunately due to her age she won't be able to join the Company. So, until then…" "I understand. It's nice to meet you Luna, I'm Leera. Feel free to make yourself at home." Leera spoke to the child with a warm smile, Luna giving a courteous bow. "Thank you very much, I'll do my best to be no trouble."

Handing the reins of Ruby to Luna, Arc patted Luna on her head. "Can you give us a few minutes to talk, Luna? The stable will be around the corner, you can take my Chocobo back there to tether. His name is Ruby, by the way." Luna nodded, petting the Chocobo on its beak as she had observed Arc doing. "I'm glad to meet you Ruby, my name is Luna, thank you for giving me so many rides!" Ruby gave a hearty squawk, nuzzling Luna with its beak before the giggling child lead him around to join Leera's Chocobo. Taking Leera's hand, Arc lead her to the bench under the nearby cherry blossom tree, sitting with her. "I hope it's not too sudden, I know it's a lot to…" "It's fine dear, though I suspect you haven't told me the full story yet, which is why you brought me over here to talk." Arc sighed with a smirk, pulling Leera closer. "You're several steps ahead of me, as always. Her sister was a good friend of Cuffs and I, one I was going to introduce you, but she wasn't quite able to make it here before she fell. It's not just that she fell though that made Cuffs and I bring her here to the Company, it's also how she fell. She's too young to join our ranks, but at the same time she's too young to be out here alone, especially after what happened…"

After some time of talking further on the matter, the pair entered the cottage to find Luna asleep on the floor. Bringing out a spare blanket, Leera draped it gently over her before she entered the kitchen, joined by Arc to clean dishes. As night gave way to the dawn, Luna awoke to an incredible aroma, seeing Leera standing over her holding a hot bowl of oatmeal. "Good morning, little one. Here you are, a breakfast of fresh oatmeal with honey." Luna took the bowl and spoon gently, smiling at her host before immediately and quickly partaking of the contents, Leera holding back a chuckle at the sight. "Not too fast now, you'll sour your stomach. Arc and Cuffs will be by later after they've completed their rounds, they're quite adamant about wanting to train you to full recruitment readiness. In the meantime, once you've eaten and freshened yourself you can assist me with tending the garden. And tonight I'll have a guest bed prepared for you, so you won't need to sleep on the hard floor again." Giving the younger girl a soft smile, Leera left her to exit into the garden.

Hours passed, with Leera and Luna tending to the various small crops, and preparing meals for the day. As the remainder of the daily chores was completed, Arc returned home with Cuffs in tow, Arc and Leera exchanging pecks to the cheek. "Don't work her too hard, love." Leera spoke, her husband returning a soft chuckle. "We'll do our best. Seems she's already got a fair degree of skill, she may even end up teaching Vayu and me some new tricks." Cuffs shrugged at that assessment, an amused grin on his face, the duo leading Luna out into the back to observe their usual sparring sessions. Much of what Luna saw she had already learned from her sister, however these two were much more acquainted with full-fledged strategic combat, and so she was exposed to new tactics she had never seen before. Eagerly following Arc and Cuffs as they directed while exchanging blows, she mimicked their motions with her arms and legs, to their amusement.

And so this routine would follow, for many a day, before finally they began to bring Luna more directly into their sparring rituals. Stances and form, proper reaction times for parries and dodging, and more were instilled upon the young charge. And as seasons passed, so too would the youthful naïveté of the Miqo'te child, her guardians slowly honing her into what would soon become a fierce warrior, driven by the promise to her sister to become stronger. To avenge without becoming consumed, to be the flame of hope that would not extinguish itself in the darkness of hatred. She would become the continuation of the legacy her sister had left behind.


End file.
